A single yellow flag at Destin this morning — no purple, for a second straight day. Water is 85°F with north to south winds at 1–10 mph and waves at 1.3 ft. Highs reach 89°F with a 20 percent rain chance. Destin has held a plain yellow flag for most of the week, and it holds again today.
Yellow means moderate hazard: moderate surf, moderate currents, or both. Swimming is allowed but calls for caution. At 1.3 ft with winds barely reaching 10 mph this is easy water, and the yellow rating has been Destin's steady baseline all week rather than a response to anything unusual. Stay close to shore, swim near a lifeguard, and keep an eye on the flags in case conditions are re-rated during the day.
Is It Safe to Swim at Destin Today?
Yes, with normal caution. The yellow flag allows swimming, the water is warm at 85°F, waves are small at 1.3 ft and winds are light. Yellow is still a step above green, so treat it as a day to pay attention: swim near a lifeguard, stay within your depth, and keep children close. Destin also has the cleanest flag status of the three beaches again today — no purple here, while Navarre and Pensacola both have it flying.
Full Conditions Breakdown
| Condition | Reading |
|---|---|
| Beach flag | Yellow — moderate hazard |
| Water temperature | 85°F |
| Air temperature | Low 79°F / High 89°F |
| Wind | N-S at 1–10 mph |
| Wave height | 1.3 ft |
| Chance of rain | 20% daytime / 20% nighttime |
| Solunar rating | Average activity |
Destin Tides Today
| Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|
| High tide | 6:58 AM | 0.88 ft |
| Low tide | 6:42 PM | −0.03 ft |
Destin runs a much smaller tidal range than Navarre or Pensacola, but today it joins them below the datum — the 6:58 AM high of 0.88 feet falls for nearly twelve hours to a negative low of −0.03 ft at 6:42 PM. All three beaches have negative lows today, the first time that has happened this week. Full tide charts are on the live tides page.
7-Day Outlook
Sunday brings mostly sunny conditions with highs near 89°F and calm to light winds. Monday continues sunny with highs around 90°F and minimal rain chance. The extended forecast shows a typical mid-August pattern — warm daytime temperatures, low rain chances through midweek, and scattered afternoon thunderstorm development potential by week's end.
More Emerald Coast Conditions Today
Also posted this morning: Navarre Beach conditions, Pensacola Beach conditions and today's fishing report.